A Descriptive Study of a Multi-Age Grouping Alternative School

Abstract

Multi-age classrooms are classrooms where students of different ages and grades are intentionally placed together with minimal distinctions between grades. Multi-age groupings allow for a flexible approach for meeting the needs of individual students by sharing strengths and collectively addressing weakness. Active participation of students and cooperative learning are emphasized. This paper is a descriptive study of the QUEST alternative school in the Hilton School District, which utilizes multi-age groupings and collaborative teaching. The alternative school is required to meet all current district curricular and assessment requirements as well as the student population ratios remaining consistent across the district. Students also stay with a single teacher across several grade levels to encourage the development of relationships between teachers, students, and their parents. Descriptions of classroom practices and learning goals are presented alongside interviews with students and their parents. The flexibility of the program, the regular use of collaborative methods, and an emphasis on community growth are highlighted.